Neoliberal Reforms, Healthcare and Other Human Development Challenges in Nigeria

Authors

  • David Imhonopi

  • Egharevba

  • M.E.

  • Iruonagbe

  • C.T.

  • David Imhonopi

Keywords:

neoliberalism, human development indices, citizen welfare, healthcare, Nigeria

Abstract

Since the adoption of the neoliberal policy in Nigeria in the 1980s its impact on the human development indices of the citizenry has not been satisfactory as manifested by the unequal income distribution gap between the rich and the poor over the years Besides the health conditions of Nigerians have experienced a decline as revealed by the increasing rate of child infant mortality and maternal mortality which expresses the failure of government reforms in adequately addressing some aspects of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals MDGs Using secondary sources of data this paper investigated how government s implementation of the neoliberal policies had impacted on the healthcare and human development indices of the citizens It was observed that rather than improve the healthcare situation and human development indices of citizens the Bretton Woods-authored reforms have rather narrowed opportunities for healthcare and human development in Nigeria To improve the declining human development indices of citizens the paper recommends the roll out of a politics of paradise to rein in the poverty and deprivation suffered by many Nigerians and the need for a human-faced approach to economic reforms among others The paper concludes that government must revisit the neoliberal reforms package in the country and stamp out the use of ad hoc and discretionary handouts and market-led growth which have failed to engender a trickledown effect on the social realities of Nigerians Citizen welfare and comfort must guide government s actions and intentions and should remain the benchmark for assessing the impact of any form of economic or social reforms that it desires to implement in the country

How to Cite

David Imhonopi, Egharevba, M.E., Iruonagbe, C.T., & David Imhonopi. (2015). Neoliberal Reforms, Healthcare and Other Human Development Challenges in Nigeria. Global Journal of Human-Social Science, 15(F2), 1–10. Retrieved from https://socialscienceresearch.org/index.php/GJHSS/article/view/1533

Neoliberal Reforms, Healthcare and Other Human Development Challenges in Nigeria

Published

2015-01-15